iPhone leads US, Samsung vs. Motorola for No. 2 position

In a surprise plot twist many never saw coming, Motorola may become Samsung’s biggest Android competitor in a US smartphone market dominated by iPhone.

The start of the big upset?

The latest research from Counterpoint claims Motorola is now the third place US smartphone maker with a 10% market share. This compares with Samsung’s 22% share, which means both companies must now compete for the 42% of the US smartphone market that isn’t Apple.

Apple, of course, owns 58% of the market, and this appears to be rising.

The idea of Motorola emerging as Apple’s biggest competitor may sound crazy, but the company saw its sales climb 131% in 2021, mainly as a result of selling low priced devices and scooping up space left behind by Lenovo’s departure from the US market.

Samsung’s slice declined to 22% in the last quarter. What this means is that if Motorola maintains growth while Samsung fails to regain US consumer mind share, then there could be a shock change in the top three.

Counterpoint data

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Motorola’s secret: Good brand, decent devices

Counterpoint Research Director Jeff Fieldhack said:

“A common question is how Motorola has grown to over 10% of the US market. Motorola has been a key OEM filling the void left by LG’s exit. The OEM has all the key characteristics major carriers look for – a full portfolio, ability to ramp volumes, and low return rates. Motorola’s sub-$300 portfolio – Moto G Stylus, Moto G Power and Moto G Pure – has driven its success in the US. Thanks to its reliability, Motorola has been a key free ‘switch’ device, a device carriers use to move subscribers from networks that are being shut off or as a device MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) use when changing network partners.”

The company has also grown its market share in the large US prepaid channels (Verizon Prepaid, Metro by T-Mobile, Cricket and Boost) to 28%.

It’s also still a very trusted brand in the US, the analyst said, while its devices have proven themselves to be reliable. Motorola may hope to attract consumers with its foldable devices and as an affordable device to access 5G.

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